Minister of Energy Anura Karunathilake told Parliament that legal advice will be sought on action that could be taken under the Petroleum Act and powers vested in the Ministry if private fuel supply companies continue to restrict fuel distribution to filling stations.

The Minister said discussions are scheduled to be held at the Presidential Secretariat with fuel operators, and that further action would be considered if the companies fail to reach an agreement and continue imposing restrictions.

Karunathilake said the issue had arisen because private fuel suppliers were incurring losses after the Government decided not to increase domestic fuel prices in line with rising global prices.

He said the companies had requested an increase in local fuel prices to reflect global market prices. However, as the Government was unable to accommodate the requested increase, a three-month concession had been provided to supply diesel at Rs. 70 per litre.

Despite the concession, the companies had indicated that continued losses would force them to restrict fuel supplies to the domestic market, the Minister said.

Karunathilake explained that under agreements signed with the companies, the Government has the authority to issue a general notice requiring them to maintain the minimum fuel supply necessary for the country to function. However, the Ministry does not have the authority to direct individual companies on fuel distribution to particular filling stations.

He said the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) had stepped up its fuel distribution to mitigate shortages in the local market. According to the Minister, the CPC initially accounted for around 50% to 55% of the domestic market when the issue emerged, but its share has since increased to around 77% to 80%.

The Ministry has also requested private suppliers to maintain adequate supplies to prevent disruptions in the local market, he added.

Karunathilake said the Government could intervene under existing agreements if companies restricted the volume of fuel imported into the country, but its powers were limited when it came to distribution to individual filling stations.

Referring to four agreements, including the most recent signed in 2022, the Minister said none contained provisions allowing the Government to intervene when a supplier refused to provide fuel to a particular filling station or area.

He further said the agreements allow companies to determine their selling prices based on the fuel pricing formula. However, private suppliers have generally opted to set prices similar to those determined by the CPC.

The Minister made the remarks in response to a question raised by SJB MP S.M. Marikkar, who told Parliament that 62 locations were facing fuel shortages and questioned what measures the Government was taking to address the situation. (Newswire)

The post Govt warns private fuel suppliers over distribution restrictions appeared first on Newswire.

The Government will seek to absorb part of the impact of rising global fuel prices without passing the entire burden on to consumers when fuel prices are reviewed at the end of this month, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilake said.

Speaking in Parliament today (23), the Minister said fuel prices in the global market have increased once again, placing pressure on domestic fuel prices.

However, he said the Government does not intend to pass the full impact of the global price increase on to fuel consumers in Sri Lanka.

Karunathilake said fuel prices are reviewed at the end of every month and that information regarding the latest situation would be provided to the public today.

Referring to the upcoming fuel price revision at the end of this month, the Minister said the Government would consider bearing a portion of the burden arising from higher global prices.

“Even though fuel prices in the world market have increased, we will not take steps to pass this entire burden on to the consumers of the country,” he said.

The Minister noted that the Government had similarly absorbed part of the pressure from fuel prices during April, May and June.

“Just as the Government took on a portion of that pressure and burden during last April, May and June, we are looking at taking action after reviewing fuel prices at the end of this month,” he said.

Karunathilake said the Government would approach the upcoming price review with the intention of protecting consumers from having to bear the full impact of the increase in international fuel prices.

“We believe that, as a responsible Government, without passing this entire burden on to fuel consumers, a portion of that burden should be borne by the Government,” the Minister said. (Newswire)

The post Govt to absorb part of fuel price burden amid global price hike appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Power and Energy Anura Karunathilake announced in Parliament today that Sri Lanka plans to add more than 2,700 gigawatts of electricity to the national grid between 2027 and 2029 through solar, wind, and battery power.

According to the Minister, the expansion will include 1,392 megawatts from solar, 370 megawatts from wind, and 1,000 megawatts from battery storage. 

He noted that rooftop solar generation has already shown significant growth, with around 2,500 megawatts currently being produced from panels installed on households and buildings.

Highlighting challenges in balancing supply, Karunathilake pointed out that excess electricity generation often occurs on Sundays and public holidays. 

To maintain grid stability, he said restrictions are sometimes imposed on solar power generation.

However, with the introduction of battery storage, the Minister explained that excess electricity generated during the daytime could be stored and released at night, ensuring a more stable and efficient energy supply in the future. (Newswire)

The post Sri Lanka to add 2,700 MW from renewables by 2029 appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilake has reviewed ongoing and proposed development projects at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), with a focus on expanding facilities and improving passenger services to meet rising demand.

During discussions with Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) management, attention was drawn to infrastructure upgrades designed to ease congestion and raise service standards. 

Among the priorities is the expansion of Terminal 1, which is expected to add capacity for around 500,000 more passengers annually through improvements to arrivals, departures, check‑in, boarding, and immigration facilities.

Officials also outlined plans for a new Terminal 2, with construction scheduled to begin in November 2026 and targeted for completion within 30 months. 

The project is intended to strengthen BIA’s long‑term capacity and position it as a modern international aviation hub. (Newswire)

The post Aviation Minister reviews BIA expansion plans to boost capacity appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lanka’s fuel QR system will be enforced more rigorously in the coming months to curb rising consumption and ease pressure on the economy, Minister of Energy Anura Karunathilake announced today (01).

Addressing the media, the Minister said that while the QR and quota systems had already reduced fuel usage to some extent, demand still exceeds the country’s capacity. 

“With this global crisis dragging on continuously, we have a great need to reduce fuel consumption. Through the QR system and quota system, we were able to achieve a considerable reduction, but still this has not reached the level required by the country,” he said.

He noted that global fuel price hikes have forced Sri Lanka to spend significant amounts of foreign exchange, including USD 186 million in January, USD 97 million in February, and USD 524 million in May alone.

Karunathilake warned that continuing at this pace would be unsustainable, stressing the need to cut consumption to reduce the outflow of dollars and protect the wider economy. 

He added that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, together with the Ministry of Digital Technology, will take steps to tighten enforcement of the QR system.

“We believe that by strictly implementing the QR mechanism, fuel consumption can be reduced during this crisis period, thereby mitigating the impact on the national economy,” the Minister added. (Newswire)

The post Fuel QR system to be strictly implemented in the future – Govt appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lanka’s Government is expected to appoint a new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for SriLankan Airlines soon, Aviation Minister Anura Kuranathilake said.

The Minister said interviews for the appointment of a new CEO are currently underway, with several groups already being assessed.

He noted that additional candidates are expected to face interviews before a shortlist is prepared for the final selection process.

“We hope to appoint the new CEO very soon,” he said.

Speaking on the delay in appointments, the Minister admitted that SriLankan Airlines currently operates without both a Chairman and a CEO.

He said previous proposals for the Chairman’s position had been considered but could not proceed due to various reasons.

However, he revealed that a “very good proposal” has now been received for the Chairman post.

The Minister also acknowledged that the Government had initially attempted to revive the airline while retaining full State ownership, in line with earlier remarks made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

But he said the Government has now concluded that a different approach is required, leading to the decision to pursue a public-private partnership model for the airline. (Newswire)

The post Govt says “very good proposal” received for SriLankan Chairman post appeared first on Newswire.

Anura Karunathilake officially assumed duties today (21) as Sri Lanka’s new Minister of Energy at the Ministry of Energy.

Former Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, who was present at the occasion, extended his congratulations to the incoming minister. 

In a statement, Jayakody said he urged all officials and staff connected with the ministry to extend their fullest cooperation to Minister Karunathilake in carrying out his responsibilities.

Karunathilake’s appointment follows Jayakody’s resignation last week to allow a transparent investigation into the controversial coal procurement process. (Newswire)

The post Anura Karunathilake assumes duties as Energy Minister, Kumara Jayakody attends appeared first on Newswire.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Anura Karunathilake as the Minister of Energy.

Accordingly, Anura Karunathilake took oaths before the President this afternoon (20) at the Presidential Secretariat as the Minister of Energy.

In addition to the Power portfolio, he also serves as the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation.

Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was present at the occasion.

Anura Karunathilake replaces Kumara Jayakody, who resigned from the ministerial portfolio this week, to ensure a transparent investigation into the coal procurement scandal. (Newswire)

The post President appoints Anura Karunathilake as Energy Minister appeared first on Newswire.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced special concessions for the flight tickets of travellers stranded in Sri Lanka due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East Region. 

Minister of Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilake said several passengers were forced to reschedule their flights due to the cancellation of flights or completely cancel their flight tickets as a result of the conflict.

Addressing the media, he further said that special arrangements have been made to help stranded passengers reimburse their ticket cost or book new flight tickets.

“No additional charges will be acquired from the stranded passengers. Passengers can receive the full amount in the event of ticket cancellations, while they can also book new flight tickets without having to pay any additional charges. All airlines have consented to this arrangement,” he said. 

Several flights have been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East region, severely affecting several passengers, including those in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

The post Sri Lanka announces ticket concessions for travellers stranded by ME conflict appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing, Anura Karunathilake engaged in an inspection tour of the Colombo Lotus Tower yesterday. 

The Minister was accompanied by the Secretary to the Ministry Ranjith Ariyaratne, and the ministry’s Chairpersons and Director Generals.

According to the Colombo Lotus Tower, a special meeting was also convened at the premises by the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing.

CEO of Colombo Lotus Tower, Senior Prof. A. Chamaru de Alwis also participated in the discussions. (Newswire)

The post Govt Minister inspects Lotus Tower appeared first on Newswire.